The Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group works to help people whose rights have been violated and investigates cases involving such abuse, as well as assessing the overall human rights situation in Ukraine. The Group also seeks to develop awareness of human rights issues through public events and its various publications

The Odessa oblast organizations of the party “Reformy i poriadok”, the Peoples Rukh of Ukraine, Republican Christian Party, Ukrainian National Assembly, public organizations “Ukrainske bratstvo” and “Bratstvo” carried out the street voting of the city dwellers on the question: “Do you support the propositions of President Leonid Kuchma concerning the political constitutional reform?”

The press conference was hold after the street action. Volodymir Kurinniy, the leader of the oblast organization of the party “Reformy i poriadok”, told at the press conference that the results of the referendum called in question the “peoples support of initiatives” declared by the authorities. As it is known, earlier the state officials affirmed that the political reforms were endorsed by 90% of the Odessa population.

Andrey Ishchenko, the leader of the oblast organization of the Ukrainian National Assembly, informed that many Odessa inhabitants expressed their attitude not only about the political reforms, but also about the present government. “The most popular peoples comment in the process of the voting was: “Away with Kuchma!””, told A. Ishchenko.

Fedor Nariychuk, the head of the Odessa oblast organization of the Ukrainian Republican Party “Sobor” stated that he was not surprised by the results of the street referendum. “The majority of the inhabitants of Odessa and Ukraine as a whole”, he said, “know that the initiatives stated in the propositions of Leonid Kuchma are the manipulations of the power that have the goal to preserve their dominating position. The modern situation in Ukraine does not satisfy people, and they do not believe in the effectiveness of these initiatives”.

MP Eduard Gurvits commented the results of the voting. He said: “The level of the confidence in the President is extremely low in Ukraine, and the reforms proposed by the President reflect the desire of Leonid Kuchma and his clique to preserve their positions after the election-2004. Leonid Kuchma is the head of the country already for 10 years, and during all these years he was protesting against the reforms of the power. And today he presents such propositions! Perhaps, he has a presentiment about the end of his work at the Presidents post and makes everything to retain his influence in the country.

During these 10 years people understood that it is unwise to believe Leonid Kuchma and his team, and this was visually demonstrated by the results of the Odessa voting”.